City Council unanimously approved an agreement with three of its neighbors that is intended to attract business and avoid turf battles Monday.

The agreement designates land in Jackson Township and Plain Township for shared development with Canton and North Canton. Working together, the local governments can offer more to businesses, such as utilities, while also reaping the revenue from income taxes, which townships cannot collect.

Mayor William J. Healy II said the land already is being marketed to prospective businesses, but he would not elaborate on any discussions.

"There have been some conversations with some of the property owners," he said. "The nice part about this is all of us (can take the lead on discussions with businesses). In the past, if we found out about an opportunity, we would work through it without notifying anybody else because we didn't want to be competing."

The land in the agreement runs north of 38th Street NW between Whipple Avenue NW and the railroad and then between the railroad and the western edge of Plain Township, reaching to the Summit County border. North Canton Council is expected to vote on the agreement later this month or in January, according to North Canton Council President Jon Snyder.

NO CHANGES

Nothing changes for existing businesses and only new businesses that want to will have the option to form a joint economic development district with Canton, North Canton and the applicable township. Healy noted that only new revenue will be shared three ways.

"Anybody that is a Canton resident (working in the district), we get 100 percent of their income taxes," Healy said. "Anything that would be new to us would be split three ways."

"It's going to be beneficial to everybody," Hawk said. "It gives everybody the ability to grow."

Hawk said leaders in all the communities worked well for an agreement that benefits each side.

"I really think it's a good deal," he said. "It's reasonable. It's good government. We have to look at how we can share resources to improve economic development.

The agreement won't be a success on the cooperation of the local governments alone, Healy said.

"If we do this and nothing comes out of it for five years no one's going to be encouraged to do more of it," he said. "Now we have to get some opportunities to create growth."

REFUND

In other business, council voted unanimously to refund Stark State College $63,530 in overpayment of a lease at the Edward L. Coleman Southeast Community Center. The money will come out of the general fund, which will eventually be reimbursed from the Canton Community Development Department.

Page 2 of 2 - Service Director William Bartos said Stark State paid the city more than $9,000 a month for 10 months, rather than annually, when it began leasing space at the community center in 2010. The city has made up $26,515 to the college. Bartos said that since Stark State will now move to a month-to-month lease in anticipation of leaving the building, the city wanted to refund it the balance owed.